Forget Them Not VII

Summary: Alex does and doesn't remember. Something happened, something that left him without any memories. Was it a mission that left him like this? Or was it something else? Alex remembers. A collection of connected oneshots.

Alex sat down for dinner with Jack, looking down at the bowl of quickly heated vegetable soup and the loaf of white bread on the table. A normal ten minute dinner for Jack to prepare, though neither of them particularly liked soup.

He was supposed to be able to stomach soup, but he was feeling nauseous. On the upside; he wasn't really in pain anymore, not after having taken the pain meds. On the downside; he didn't really feel like eating, a possible and probable side effect of his medication.

Alex lifted the spoon to his mouth, filled with warm soup, and swallowed carefully. He quickly took a drink of water in hopes of it staying down. He was supposed to be able to keep the rather bland soup down, though it didn't seem so easy.

Alex continued eating, slowly but surely devouring half his soup.

He was ignoring Jack's eyes on him skillfully, though the lack of conversation was harder to disguise.

"Alex?"

"Hm?"

"You're ill," she stated.

Alex tapped his bandages and gave his housekeeper a pointed look.

"You know what I mean," she said soberly. "You don't have to eat if you're just going to throw it up later."

"I need food," Alex said simply. "And I'm not going to throw it up. I'm just a bit nauseous."

Jack gave him an understanding look. "It's the pain meds, isn't it?"

"Probably."

"Go to bed, Alex. You can eat more tomorrow. You shouldn't overdo it on your first day out. I'd be afraid that the doctors would keep you with them the next time if you did," she said in a valiant try for humour.

Alex stopped eating for a moment before laying down his spoon. "You're right. I'll go to bed."

Jack looked at him as he stood up.

"I'll be up after I've cleaned up."

Alex nodded and gave Jack a tired smile. "Sure, Jack."

Alex was thirteen, still young and a bit uneasy.

"Are you sure about this, Ian?" He looked at the empty road in front of him and then down at the pedals. There were many things he wanted to learn, and this was one of them. But wasn't he just a bit too young for this? "I'm not."

However, Ian had insisted that it was time to learn, and when Ian insisted Alex usually went along for the ride.

Except, this time he was the one in control of the ride. He wasn't really sure if this was a good idea or not anymore.

He took another look at the empty road in front of him.

He was getting decidedly more convinced that this was a very bad idea with every minute he spent looking at the wheel and the road.

"Nonsense, Alex. You'll do fine. We've been through this several times already."

It was unusual to sit in a car with the steer wheel on the left side, but they weren't exactly in London anymore. Or in England for that matter.

Ian seemed to think it was better to do this while they were away on holiday. Alex had to agree that a distant place with only strangers was better to learn in, but he rather thought Ian was thinking more about Jack's possible reaction.

She wouldn't like this at all.

"You have fastened your seatbelt, haven't you?"

Alex looked down at the belt that crossed his chest and tugged; it was firm.

"Yes."

"Good. Mirror?"

Alex looked into the mirror, adjusted it slightly and made sure that he saw everything he needed to see.

"Yes."

"Your feet are reaching the pedals?"

Alex wriggled his feet and made sure he could thread on the three different pedals. He thought the question was a bit redundant; if he couldn't touch the pedals how was he going to drive at all?

"Yes, Ian."

Ian caught onto Alex's exasperated tone and grinned.

"Body, mind and soul with you?"

"Yes," Alex answered before adding, "I think both you and I would know if they weren't."

Ian nodded. "Then let's start."

"I'm not sure about this, Ian."

"Don't worry, Alex. You'll be fine."

"If you say so."

Alex carefully pushed down the clutch with his foot and clamped his hands around the wheel, heart thudding loudly in his chest.

He glanced at Ian, taking in his uncle's grin.

This was so not a good idea.